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Home » Recipes

Quick and Easy Cucumber Kimchi

Jul 12, 2019Last Modified: September 26, 2022

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Cucumber kimchi with cut up cucumbers, onions, and green onions in a bowl with chopsticks laying on the bowl.

When life gives you cucumbers, make Quick and Easy Cucumber Kimchi!

A good friend of mine has an incredible green thumb! I am so fortunate to often be on the receiving end of that green thumb. The other day, she kindly brought me some amazing home grown cucumbers, chives, peppers, and perilla (sesame) leaves, which are all perfect for Korean banchan. So I'm so excited to be making some awesome Korean side dishes over the next few days!

Jump to:
  • Cucumber Kimchi Is SUPER Easy To Make!
  • What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Cucumber Kimchi?
  • Instructions
  • Enjoy This Wonderful Korean Banchan!
  • FAQ
  • Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
  • 1,000 Foods to Eat Project
  • Quick and Easy Cucumber Kimchi
Cucumbers and chives

Cucumber Kimchi Is SUPER Easy To Make!

Cucumber kimchi, or "oi kimchi," couldn't be easier to make. Simple prep of a few ingredients, and a gentle mixing of everything by hand and voila! You have a delicious side dish, as you would enjoy at your fave Korean restaurant, in about 30 minutes!

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Cucumber Kimchi?

You will need cucumbers, onions, Kosher salt, and Asian chives or green onions for this delicious recipe.

Cut up pieces of cucumber in a white bowl, sliced green onions, sliced onion, and minced ginger and garlic in a glass bowl.

Korean cucumbers are perfect for this dish. Other recommended cucumbers include English, Persian, Kirby, or Japanese cucumbers. These varieties tend to have fewer seeds and thin skin. You can even use regular cucumbers, but you may have to deseed those if the seeds are very large.

Additionally, you will need to make a pepper paste/sauce to add to the items listed above.

The ingredients for the pepper paste/sauce include garlic, ginger, sugar, water, Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru), fish sauce, and rice wine vinegar. The gochugaru is a key ingredient in the Korean cuisine.

You should be able to find all of these ingredients at Asian grocery stores. I have also linked to Amazon for some of these ingredients for convenience sake.

Korean red pepper powder (gochugaru)

Instructions

Begin by cutting your cucumber in half lengthwise. Deseed it if the seeds are very large. Then cut the cucumber into large chunks.

cut up pieces of cucumber on a wooden board

Place the cut up cucumber in a colander and sprinkle the salt. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes (some excess water will drain off the cucumbers so you may want to leave the colander in the sink.)

cut up pieces of cucumber sprinkled with salt in a colander

Mince the ginger and garlic in a food processor. Add to a large mixing bowl, along with the Korean red pepper powder, fish sauce, sugar, water, and rice vinegar. Mix with a spoon.

Gochugaru, sauces, and minced ginger and garlic in a glass bowl with a brown cutting board underneath.

After the 30 minutes, rinse the cucumber pieces under running water, to get rid of the salt. Add these along with the Asian chives (or green onions) and onion to the spice mixture, and mix gently with your hands until all the ingredients are combined.

This perfect side dish is now ready to enjoy!

Enjoy This Wonderful Korean Banchan!

This kimchi can be eaten immediately, however I think it tastes better about a day after so there's time to let the flavors infuse.

Serve with rice, or as a side to your favorite Korean meal to spice it up!

Cucumber kimchi with cut up cucumbers, onions, and green onions in a bowl with chopsticks laying on the bowl.

FAQ

What kind of cucumbers are best for cucumber kimchi?

Korean, English, Persian, Kirby, or Japanese cucumbers are best for making cucumber kimchi. These varieties tend to have fewer seeds and thin skin.

What's the best way to store this side dish?

Use an airtight container to store this kimchi in the refrigerator.

How much time needs to go by before I can eat this kimchi?

You can enjoy this fresh delicious kimchi immediately! However, I think it tastes better about a day after so there's time to let the flavors infuse.

Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!

If you like banchan or kimchi, you may also like these recipes:

  • Korean Bok Choy Kimchi
  • Perilla Leaves
  • Korean Zucchini Side Dish
  • Pa Kimchi

1,000 Foods to Eat Project

Kimchi is one of the foods listed in the book 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, by Mimi Sheraton. I'm on a quest to try each and every one of these foods. I'd be honored if you would join me in this journey and discover new foods, experiences, and cuisines which I hope will add inspiration, fun, and joy to your life! For a list of the foods tried so far visit the 1,000 Foods to Eat Project page.

If you'd like to follow along and be a part of the 1,000 Foods Project, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here. 🙂

Enjoy this taste of Korea!

Cucumber kimchi with cut up cucumbers, onions, and green onions in a bowl with chopsticks laying on the bowl.

Quick and Easy Cucumber Kimchi

Grace
This cucumber kimchi is so simple and quick to make! Combine a few simple ingredients and mix gently to create this delicious Korean banchan!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
2 mins
Total Time 32 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Korean
Servings 6 servings
Calories 28 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large cucumber or 2 small (if your cucumber is large and has many seeds, then it is best to deseed it)
  • ½ tablespoon coarse Kosher salt
  • 1 oz Asian chives or 3 green onions, chopped into largish sizes
  • ½ onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoon Korean red pepper powder reduce to 1 tablespoon if you don't like it too spicy
  • 1 inch ginger minced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 ts sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Cut your cucumber in half lengthwise and deseed it if the seeds are very large. Then cut into large chunks as per the image.
    cut up pieces of cucumber on a wooden board
  • Place the cut up cucumber in a colander and sprinkle the salt. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes (some water will drain off the cucumbers so you may want to leave the colander in the sink.)
    cut up pieces of cucumber sprinkled with salt in a colander
  • Mince the ginger and garlic in a food processor. Add to a large mixing bowl, along with the Korean red pepper powder, fish sauce, sugar, water, and rice vinegar. Mix with a spoon.
    Cucumber kimchi spice mix
  • After the 30 minutes, rinse the cucumber pieces under running water, to get rid of the salt. Add these along with the Asian chives (or green onions) and onion to the spice mixture, and mix gently with your hands until all the ingredients are combined.
    Cucumber kimchi in a white bowl with silver chopsticks holding up a cucumber

Notes

This kimchi is ready to eat immediately!  However, you may want to let the flavors meld together overnight.  Serve with rice or as a side to any meal that you want to add extra spice to and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 28kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 863mgPotassium: 169mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1031IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Banchan
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About Me

Hi I’m Grace! I'm married and a mom to my fur baby, Toby, and food and travel are two of my greatest passions! Since our bank account does not allow us to travel or eat out as much as we'd like, I decided I would cook delicious meals that could give us a taste of all the places we'd like to go. My goal is to get you in the kitchen, and inspire you to cook and taste delightful meals that will transport you too. Let’s throw some actual travel in from time to time, all with an emphasis on keeping your wallet full and happy as well. Let’s get cooking and let’s start exploring!! I'm excited to be on this journey with you!!

By the way most of these recipes are Toby taste tested and Toby approved!!

Chief Taste Tester Toby

Toby Chief Taste Tester

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